The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-10-06
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

H.
During a nscaAtsjottfney to Europe;
,,,,.;tos T6onlas ID Hill iii The National
b .Ias5 81 ISsjA tfSesassaxe across the oceaE
~ eEXeHal8y uis5leasant because oAB]
fdSs.stA HnE consolation In conteM E
80 %T T hzafsbein inTHhat they repreSarRz
FL the work of nature in drawing
moisture fnssa.tAsyxateE which waited
inland, fell upon The soil IN refreshhg
rain satassea II tha hES9ks sna s%sip p.nsas y.s
sent back sfEeshff A "a fEi gesSa. llhe]
marched earth. The speed OF oul
vessel was materially retarded py
winds ff1fif the seessetss
renee in the summer season. Inc logs
aud moRtHe thEoMgH these winss ns.,.e me-
IriSea A&&zRa1Aontlneps Mhsre
drought seldom prevails, ana parIlou
larly do they freshsP the ,,, yeraure 1,'.asm o,
Ireland. and hence the prliiiah' gree"
I'm 4. s II 8 gfissshsR psa-4
I yailing in several of the western ana
ttSy H to iI1hG kka fromRAfafiW.fhhet
thfIkms41 s1fsys syst. bssh aSl G%lnHliBia
Of moisture. They have run their
.t;l;net Through sxsrytsla3gh, they have
Sra'Tn ont the water from every
swamp: they have dried up the pond
rb - hsve Tobiiterated the beautiful
XHe 4ske. In doing this they have
made such easy and rapid egress for
rainfall from the soil as to endanger
| the homes and farm lands of all the
settlers along the great rivers In the
| southern regions OF our country al
ready infiicting great distress, loss Oh
life and property equahng In Vaiue
many millions of dollars = an eVli
which is growing in magnitude every
year. a,.;,
ing of the upper country OF water Is
not only thus disastrous to HE anu
property along the larger streams Is
i | from frequent overflow, but there Is
snch absolute drainage OF moisture
, from the earth as to produce severe
, drouoht. accompanied by such intense
) heat and dryness of atmosphere as
results in the hurricane, the cyclone,
) and innumerabls village, prairie, anu
+ forest fires.
In the early days when the process
of evaporation of moisture went for.
: ward from the swamps, the ponds, and
: | lakes of our western aud middle states,
an extended drought, with extremely
:, intense heat, was comparatively rare
. In those days sunstroke was very un
: common, and the cyclone was compar
: atively unknown. This year we art
: in the second season of drought II
various portions OF the country. while
every year brings its devastation from
l. wind. the result of an excessively DIR.
= and frequently disturbed condition o
:. the atmosphere
's With the land thus denuded o
y natural water supply, there is but on
y course for our farmers TO pursue t
u save themselves from these evils
= They may drain their soil, but the
0s y should gather the rainfall in pond
oi and lakes scattered throughout thei
Q. lands. Instead of running the drain
u Through and out of the swamp, the
IN should lead to an excavation OF sue
sh size as circumstances will permit
Id which should be made at depth
IT, three or fouP feet, where the waite
he can gather and will femaip tAtoughot
ng the year. quenching the thirst OF an
On mails, giving drink to birds, reserve
es | in case of fire, IL home for fish, spt
ke of beauty ON which may sail the boa
1T an opportunity for the bath, and fe
iteaching the young people 70 sym
&C 1t will Weld ice for the family. provio
an skating for the happy youth in wintt
Of | time, and moisture, which, throue
&c Evaporation, win pass into the clou
he to be returned again through rala1a
ed to the needy earth.
ut No fear need be entertained of sta
he nation from water thus held in r
to aerye. Fish will of themselves puri
eV | it. Every rain will change it, Will
Ids if the lake covers an acre or more
area. the wind will constantly keep
10. pure. The writer, in proof of tn
- has an artificial lake on his farm. Il
J result of dredging q swamp, which
~ filled only by rainfall, tls water beinI
=, in the driest season, always perfect
49, 49, clear and fresh.
TT On the low lands the general aba
donment of farms and homes fro
r. river overflow will be the insYitab
outcome of this water wastage in Il
a. a. high grounds Such is already Il
as fact, while the expenditure of maI
% millions of dollars by the goVernmel
81 in the construction of ieVees and ell
~ bankments along the great rivers w
be necessary for the further protectis
OF adjoining property. Vastly bett'
ear that this expenditure be made in hol
ND ing the water where it is required
raj the up-country. Dot the farms of o.
Vn- inland states with ponds and mini
he ture lakes, and while they will affo
nd. health, attraction, and pleasure in
,nt thousand ways. they will give us ba,
LIS, the uniform rainfall we had in q
Ion early settlement of the country, VIII
uli successive seasons of drought, fore
no no fires, and cyclones were unknown.